Fletcher Courage

Five years ago, I was working at Raymond’s, a high-end, nationally ranked restaurant in St. John’s Newfoundland. I had no idea I was going to end up here. I had a sense of wanting to do something more. Working in Hospitality was enjoyable but repetitive and I wanted a new intellectual challenge. It really came down to going after my Master Sommelier designation or an MBA. Three months into Ivey’s MBA program, I’m sure I made the right choice.

In starting my research on MBA programs, I prioritized one-year programs. I learn best by drawing together discrete pieces of information into a cohesive picture and that’s really what Ivey’s case-based learning methodology is all about; it’s an incredible way to learn. The chance to use the applicable theory in a variety of situations compounds the learning and helps with retention. As all of our cases involve real-life companies and real-life scenarios, they have changed how I shop, listen to the news, and look at advertising. I don’t think I would have received the same learning experience at a lecture-based school.

In addition to the style of learning, I can honestly say that the Ivey MBA class of 2020 is the most generous collection of humans I have ever met. If you need help with the program, moving, or anything really, someone is always willing to volunteer their time and knowledge to help.

When I think about where I’d like to be after my MBA, I see myself pursuing a role in the Financial Services sector. However, with the dizzying pace of technological change in this industry and knowing that five years ago, I couldn’t have predicted where I’d be now, I hesitate to provide a job title as my goals may totally change. What I doknow, is that I will be leveraging the tools I learn at Ivey to lead my team, and give back to the community.